happier new year

Wow, um, sorry to start the year with such a downer of a post.

I'm happy to report that things are nearly back to normal in the Princess Parasite household. As for the fight I picked, while I regret that it was ill-timed and uncharacteristically uncomfortable, it looks like it may have actually made a difference. As painful as it was, it seems we needed to flush the wound, remove some dead tissue, and we may be headed towards an actual real life grown up type compromise.

In other words, I'm winning.

It doesn't necessarily feel exactly like winning, but it feels a lot less stressful than when no one was winning. Or when I was maybe losing. And less stress is just what I need these days especially as I have once again resumed my delightfully torturous telephone watching vigil. Oh, Law School in the Bush, is tomorrow the day you will profess your love?

In the meanwhile, I have joined my friend Oprah in her quest to get back on the wagon. I will not, however, join her in posting photos of my current self next to my formerly skinny self. In fact, my new profile picture (like my last one) dates back nearly six years. This particular picture makes me smile most not because I was thin, but because it was taken on a significant seal day for me - my very first day in charge. The circumstances were somewhat scandalous (I was posing with a freshly dead otter all Weekend at Bernie's style) so the photo's been kept under wraps for a while. Now that my retirement is imminent and no one seems to care about otters any more, the picture has finally gone public.

Anyway, back to the wagon stuff. I've been good TWO whole days in a row. Not bad for me lately. Yesterday I went to the gym super bright and early. Everything was fine and dandy until I left. I was dismayed to find my olfactory system accosted by the heavenly scent of Dolly's Donut shop across the way. Morning = donuts, so today I went to the gym in the afternoon. Instead of yummy donuts, I found myself surrounded by the smell of old man. Heavy Cologne Guy was stinking up my favorite cardio machines. Seriously, who wears cologne to the gym? Anyway, so I was forced to kill time doing the resistance circuit with Super Sweaty Hairy Woman. At least today, for once, she was lifting weights before hitting the bike so she was only hirsute, not yet slick. And I am grateful that I found Heavy Cologne Guy already in action. The last time I encountered him I was halfway through my work out and had to decide whether to abandon ship or stay the stink-filled course. A horrible choice. So now I am thinking about setting an alarm for tomorrow as running the donut gauntlet is way preferable to encountering Heavy Cologne Guy and Super Sweaty Hairy Woman...

Anyway, I did have two serious high points to my day. First, my hubby came home from his orthodontist appointment with a present for me - my very own pair of fake teeth wearing real sample "Smart Clip" braces from 3M Unitek. He knew I would love them the minute he first saw them so he asked his doctor for them. Then, of course, he immediately regretted expressing interest for once he was denied he could no longer risk just pocketing them. Well, today he was rewarded for his honesty as the dentist found a spare pair somewhere and so he decided to share. Yay, me.

My second highlight came when I got home from the gym. I had paused on the front stairs to pet OC (who head bonked me with considerable force - very sweet and usually reserved for expressing hunger...). Much to my surprise, I heard a faint meow from the deck above. Ratty Catty was, for the first time ever, drawing deliberate attention to his presence. He is normally a very quiet, if terribly leaky, cat and the only time he'll vocalize is when he is looking for Monkey. Today he was looking for me. Of course, he wouldn't let me touch him or anything, but it's a start. And considering he is on high alert (yesterday he got cornered for flea poisoining), it's a major victory.

Anyway, now I believe I am off to the grocery store. I have waited just long enough that Erik will be getting up to go to work when I come home. Thus he will most certainly want to help me lug all the damned bags up our bazillion stairs. I know, I know, unloading the car is exercise, but I had plenty of that already today...